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BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) – Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor stopped by WKBN’s newsroom on Monday to talk about her run for Ohio governor.

One of her largest platforms is the opiate epidemic, which she’s been affected by personally.

Taylor says government doesn’t have the solution to the crisis. Instead, she says it lies in the hands of communities and the private sector.

She plans to incentivize private companies to create more sober living and aftercare facilities. Taylor would also want them to invest in alternative ways to treat pain, such as acupuncture or chiropractic care.

Taylor argues that no approach to addiction treatment is complete without evaluating mental health.

“You cannot do addiction treatment and recovery without looking at the brain and looking at the way you have to heal the brain, and also, potentially, dealing with a separate diagnosis of a mental health condition,” she said.

Taylor says that she also wants to see more narcotic officers on the streets and encourage a system that holds drug dealers accountable.

Another one of her goals is to change the landscape of healthcare within the state.

Taylor wants to see Obamacare repealed with no replacement. She would rather consumers and the marketplace drive state solutions for care.

She says she’s a proponent of a direct care plan that would work outside of insurance.

“Your doctor agrees to see you for all of your primary care visits for a monthly payment. In some cases — I’ve seen it work in other states’ models — $50 a month, they’ll see you for all of your primary care needs.”

She says she’d be a proponent of asking for a waiver to get Ohio out of any federally-mandated healthcare plan.

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